Zoraï
Keepers of the Wild
Faction:	Kami
Locale:	The Jungle
Capital City:	Zora
Form of Government:	{{{gov}}}
Trait:	Spiritual

The Zoraïs are feared mystics from the dark and hidden jungles who zealously serve the living planet. In their search for spiritual enlightenment, the Zoraïs have grown close to the mysterious Kami.

Over the centuries the Zoraï have built up a relationship with the Kamis and started to proudly wear the Kami mask of kinship which distinguishes the, from other homin races.

They have searched for knowledge where others have searched for personal gain. They were the first to write the spoken word so that the knowledge of their ancestors could prevail. Their society became structured around magnificent temple-cities where grand ceremonies were orchestrated to parry the flora devouring cancer which the Kamis were powerless to repel themselves.

Since the devastating Swarming of kitins, they have once again expressly chosen their new sites in the middle of the enchanting jungle where pollution of the Goo is rife.

Now they seek to recover the magnificence of their former dynasty and make it shine as a beacon of wisdom. They are keen to share spiritual awareness throughout the world so that all hominkind may attain eternal bliss.

History

The first Zoraïs were a mysterious group of people who lived in the ancient jungles in the region known as Zoran south of the river Ti-aïn. It is not known exactly when the Zoraïs settled in the area but it was probably somewhere between 2199 and 2205. The first Zoraïs set up camp in the jungle when a tribe of them came into contact with the Kami. Given to mysticism, the Zoraïs built up mysterious temple cities centered around the worship of the Kamis. The goo infested area the Zoraïs had claimed was not prized by other people and their civilization was able to quickly expand becoming a force to be reckoned with. Led by a dynasty of spiritual chieftains, they were able to annex jungle land easily fending off Fyros attacks on their impregnable temple cities.

Under the Cho dynasty they undertook a campaign of territorial expansion to house their ever increasing populations. They began to set up settlements to the north nearer to other homin civilizations. On witnessing what they saw as barbarous acts of cruelty they began the construction of a great wall delimiting their territory to preserve peace and harmony within and to keep undesirables out. This policy enabled them to steer clear of futile and soul destroying acts of violence and to keep out of the scourge of interracial warfare that continuously ravaged the ancient lands.

In the cover of their vast protected provinces, they were able to develop a form of writing and gave themselves to spiritual enlightenment. However, in 2481, under the authority of Min-Cho, the great dynasty crumbled like a house of cards with the kitin onslaughts which, in their self-imposed segregation, the Zoraïs were powerless to counter.

Physical Traits

Zoraï are tall beings and have blue skin. Their hair often resembles grass and leaves and comes in a variety of natural colours. The Zoraï, being worshippers of fervent worshippers of Ma-Duk, have wooden masks infused onto their faces.

Mask of Kinship

Each Zoraï wears a mask. They are not born with this mask, rather it is placed on the faces of young Zorai by the Kami during an adoption ritual. These are living masks and act as the face of a Zoraï for the remainder of their lives. The masks are made from bone, cartilage, flesh and sap

Region

The Zoraïs have established their enchanting towns and villages in the jungle where the Sap flows in abundance and nourishes the thriving flora. Despite the welcoming and colorful labyrinth of plant life, the perils are manifold. The jungle in many areas is beset by the pestilent goo - a cancer that nibbles inexorably at life ravaging habitats, plants and bearing forth hideous monsters. However, the experienced explorer will be rewarded by the many beautiful resources that can be found here like precious amber.

Climate

The climate is variable, the perfect tranquility may be suddenly broken by the clash of thunder and raging storms.

Government

File:Mabreka.png

The Zoraï are governed by a council of Sages and a Great Sage. The currently ruler is Mabreka Cho.

List of Previous Great Sages

• Hoï-Cho
• Fung-Tun

Mabreka Cho

Born as Matini Bremmen Kalus Cheng-Lo during the Exodus in 2485JY. His name was later shortened to Mabreka Cho and he is the current Great Sage and leader of the Zoraï people.

Traits

• Endowed with mature intelligence and a strong sense of mysticism.
• Has a well-measured, eloquent and calculated way of speaking.
• Possessed of discernment, judgement and discretion, he is the ever-steady voice of reason that guides the Zoraï people on.
• Mabreka is of strenuous moral virtue, faithful to his god Ma-Duk and his duty to promote Kami enlightenment.
• Superior but not haughty, though strong-willed, he has a strong presence of mind and knows how to bide his time. He knows that harboring Yrkanis, for example, will bring him merit later as Yrkanis would be more tolerant to the Kamis than would Jinovitch.
• Sought as an arbitrator far and wide and though devoted to Ma-Duk, he never allows it to influence him unduly.

Short Biography

• 2485 - Born on the route of the exodus. His father, the great warrior magician Leng Cheng-Ho, is a founder member of the guild of Force of Fraternity. Matini Bremmen Kalus Cheng-Lo was named after the other founder members of the guild (Matini Roqvini a Matis, Bremmen Dingle a Tryker, and Kalus Hym a Fyros). The first names were then shortened to Mabreka. These famous homins helped save Leng, his wife, eldest son and two daughters from being devoured by kitins on the route of the exodus. Mabreka was in the belly of his mother at the time.
• 2489 - Arrives in Zora with his family from the route of exile.
• 2493 - Mabreka is 8 when his father is killed saving the young Matis prince, Yrkanis. The young Zoraï is taken into the house of the childless Grand Sage Hoï-Cho who gives the boy teaching.
• 2495 - Hoï-Cho begins dictating his encounters with Ma-Duk. Mabreka, at the age of 10, is the faithful scribe.
• 2498 - Mabreka accompanies Hoï-Cho to Pyr where the Grand Sage negotiates a Pact of Alliance with the Fyros. In Pyr, Mabreka makes the acquaintance of Dexton, the future Fyros emperor. This marks the beginning of a lasting friendship.
• 2499 - War over Lagoons of Loria between the Trykers and the Matis brings a Fyros contingent led by Dexton through Zoraï country to join sides with the Trykers. During his stopover in the Zoraï capital of Zora, Hoï-Cho warns Dexton of the consequences of war. Mabreka reminds him too of the fraternity of the four peoples that Kalus Hym and the others of the Force of Fraternity had so keenly defended. Dexton promises to take prisoners when he can.
• 2500 - On hearing about Dexton's capture by the Matis, Mabreka volunteers to step in as go-between to negotiate his release. The aging Hoï-Cho, unable to travel far, agrees to send Mabreka on his first official mission, despite his youth. The Grand Sage counts on the young Zoraï's capital of sympathy with the Matis king. Indeed, Mabreka's father had lost his life saving Yasson's son from the jaws of kitins.
• 2501 - At the age of 16, Mabreka successfully orchestrates the release of Dexton for one million dappers, and plays a preponderant role in the Watergate Border Post Peace Treaty.
• 2504 - Mabreka is 19 when Hoï-Cho dies without officially designating his heir. Despite his growing popularity, Mabreka is forced to find exile in Pyr when Fung-Tun, an old and influential guru, takes the power refuting the Hoï-Cho writings, and reinstates Jena as Kami Superior. In Pyr Mabreka is able to preach the enlightenment of Ma-Duk to the Dexton, his friend and Emperor of the Fyros, to bring him closer still to the Kamis.
• 2506 - Mabreka distinguishes himself in battle alongside Dexton in a campaign to crush a Matis crusade to convert the Fyros lands to Jenaïsm. Meanwhile, in Zora, Fung-Tun has gone insane, the Zora administration is in danger of losing control and guards are posted to keep all foreigners out so creating confusion and conflict at the Fyros frontier. It is thus amid great acclaim that Mabreka returns from Dunes of Exile to calm spirits and with a proposition of a Fyros-Zoraï peace treaty and a pact of alliance in the name of the Kami. Fung-Tun is deposed, Mabreka is elected Grand Sage by the High Council. Mabreka takes the name of Mabreka Cho to rekindle the spirit of the Cho dynasty and faith in Ma-Duk. Mabreka Cho pushes for total commitment to Hoï-Cho's teachings throughout the lands. He misses not an occasion to sow the seeds of faith.
• 2509 - Mabreka gives asylum to the late King Yasson's son, Yrkanis, and helps him muster an army to dethrone the ultra-Karavan king, Jinovitch. Mabreka figures Yrkanis would be a more tolerant king and thus more receptive to Kami enlightenment. Mabreka and Yrkanis agree to resume trade if the prince's bid to the throne is successful. Mabreka also manages to negotiate the non persecution of Kamis in Matis lands.
• 2512 - Mabreka and Dexton join forces against a swarming of kitins in Knot of Dementia and Dunes of Exile. Mabreka proves himself in battle to be as valiant a warrior as his illustrious father and as wise a leader as Hoï-Cho.
• 2516 - Following the Fairhaven Peace Treaty signed in 2515, Mabreka orchestrates the summit of Hoï-Cho where the four homin powers sign a Free Trade Agreement to establish free movement throughout homin lands. Thus the pro-Kami guild of Cho are at liberty to spread the word of Ma-Duk throughout the lands of Atys.
• 2525 - At 39, Mabreka Cho has consolidated the teachings of Hoï-Cho throughout the Zoraï and Fyros lands. The Kamis are accepted and sometimes revered in Tryker and Matis lands. He would now like to bring all the homin peoples another step closer to the eternal bliss of Ma-Duk.